Video Reveals Mold on Cakes in Grocery Store, Causing Debate (2024)
A viral TikTok video allegedly showing mold on cakes being sold at a grocery store has sparked a conversation about what could be causing the situation, from staffing issues to people just not doing their jobs.
The video, which has garnered over 986,000 views so far, was shared by TikToker @ahhmoee, or Moe. The six-second clip appears to show a cake with mold on it under clear packaging with text read and displayed on the screen: "Y'all stay safe out there, these stores just don't care."
Two additional cakes with the appearance of mold on them are shown as the camera pans to another person's hands.
Mold is a fungus, and on food, it can be fluffy, fuzzy or dusty in texture, according to Healthline. The mold produces spores giving it its color. Mold is usually green, black, gray or white. It can grow on almost all food, and if found on soft food, it should be thrown out.
Bacteria can also grow on food along with mold, which can grow below the surface. On hard foods like cheese, the moldy portion can be cut off as mold can't penetrate the hard surface as easily.
Over 14,000 people have liked the video while over 500 have commented on it. The content has started a conversation surrounding how the situation with the moldy cakes could have occurred.
Some people were surprised by what they saw. "That first one had an entire ecosystem growing," a TikToker wrote.
While other TikTokers think the problem comes down to staffing issues. "Grocery stores don't have enough staff to remove expired items from shelves," a user added.
Another person thinks it has to do with people not wanting to work. "No, it's not that they don't care, it's that nobody wants to work, so they don't have enough workers."
One person offered up advice on what the TikToker should have done in the situation. "I would've showed those to a manager and be like, 'You need to keep checking your food because this could put somebody in the hospital,'" a viewer admitted.
Some seemed to defend the store. A TikToker said places are understaffed, "and sometimes this stuff happens because of the moisture when being shipped/frozen."
A TikToker thinks it's a problem with the refrigeration, adding: "Unless the refrigeration broke, mildew would not grow like that on a cake."
While one person thinks it's due to "the teenagers they are hiring do not do their jobs, and the management hides in the office."
Others were genuinely shocked by the mold with comments like, "I'm horrified," and "Are you serious? Omg."
Newsweek reached out to TikToker @ahhmoee for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Poor storage and packaging conditions. Cakes stored in high temperature and humid places, unqualified packaging, poor oxygen barrier effect, and long storage time can cause mildew and deterioration.
Molds and yeast are usually inactivated when the interior temperature of the product reaches about 135–140°F (55–60°C). Bake to internal temperature of 205°F (96°C). Thermal profiling is recommended. Cooling to loaf internal temperature of 95–105°F (35–40°C) before packaging to prevent condensation.
"Mold has difficulty spreading through more dense surfaces, so you can be fairly confident that you are not consuming mold spores in this situation," Poon points out. In these cases, you can usually cut off the moldy part and enjoy the rest of the food. "If you're in doubt, throw it out," Poon advises.
Made with perishable ingredients, a cake can get too dry and lose its taste or it can get soggy and moldy. Cakes that have heavy ingredients like fudge sauce and thick jams are packing a lot of moisture, which leads to a quicker spoiling rate, meaning less leftover cake for you to enjoy if not stored properly.
Again, if you eat mold, the odds are high that nothing will happen or you may experience a slight gastrointestinal upset. “You would need a very under-developed immune system and to eat a ton of mold in order to get sick,” Detwiler says. “Even that is not likely to kill you.”
Alcohol and sugar will usually deter the mould in cakes, but in hot weather, and if not using alcohol, it will be best to transfer a cake to an airtight container (when cooled) or even fully cover with baking paper and foil or cling film and put into the fridge…but …it won't last forever!
Yes, heat can kill mold. However, while heat can eliminate mold growth on various foods, the toxins produced by certain molds might remain. For instance, when considering grain and nut crops, exposure to high temperatures can reduce mold presence, but the poisonous substances produced might still linger.
Some common examples of all natural mold inhibitor includes vinegar, raisin paste concentrate, starch, rosemary oil, whey, fermented flour, and other cultured products.
It should take around 7-10 days before you will be able to see significant growth on the bread. You could see growth as soon as 5 days depending on the type of bread you used. Remember, fresh bread will mold faster than store-bought bread containing preservatives.
Using a sheet pan to bake is by far the easiest and quickest way! The ideal sheet pan for making a cake would be flat and have sides that are at least 1 inch high.
Whether the loaf of bread has one spot of visible mold or multiple ones, the bread is unsafe to eat. According to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, when you see molds growing on bread, it is likely that the root of the mold has infiltrated much of the loaf, no matter if the loaf is whole or sliced.
Plain Cake (like unfrosted Moist Vanilla Cake): About 5-7 days in the fridge. Cake with Buttercream, Whipped Cream or Custard (like Moist Chocolate Cake with Fluffy Chocolate Frosting): 4 days, since dairy spoils quicker.
“You'll want to store a cake in the fridge with plastic wrap against the cut part (of the cake) to prevent the cake from drying out,” says Edwards, adding that store-bought cakes may last longer in the fridge, but homemade cakes should typically be consumed in five to seven days.
If you made a cake that won't be served for a few days, cover and refrigerate your cake. Lastly, if your cake includes a fresh fruit filling or topping, or has a frosting made with whipped cream or mascarpone, cover and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve, and refrigerate any leftovers as well.
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